Variable antenna patterns

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to variable antenna patterns. A method comprises determining respective locations of a plurality of candidate client stations to be communicated with an access point (AP); assigning the plurality of candidate client stations to at least one of a plurality of predetermined station groups based on the determined respective locations, the plurality of station groups being associated with a plurality of antenna patterns supported by the AP, respectively, and the plurality of antenna patterns providing respective radiation coverage areas; in accordance with a determination that at least one target client station is selected from the plurality of candidate client stations for communication, determining a target antenna pattern associated with a target station group to which the at least one target client station is assigned; and causing the AP to communicate with the at least one target client station using the target antenna pattern.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 determining respective locations of a plurality of candidate client stations to be communicated with an access point (AP); 
 assigning the plurality of candidate client stations to at least one of a plurality of predetermined station groups based on the determined respective locations, the plurality of station groups being associated with a plurality of antenna patterns supported by the AP, respectively, and the plurality of antenna patterns providing respective radiation coverage areas, wherein the plurality of antenna patterns comprise an omnidirectional antenna pattern and at least one directional antenna pattern; 
 wherein assigning the plurality of candidate client stations comprises:
 assigning the plurality of candidate client stations to a first station group of the plurality of station groups associated with the omnidirectional antenna pattern; 
 in accordance with a determination that at least one of the plurality of candidate client stations is located within a radiation coverage area provided by one of the at least one directional antenna pattern, assigning the at least one candidate client station to a second station group associated with the directional antenna pattern; 
 
 in accordance with a determination that at least one target client station is selected from the plurality of candidate client stations for communication, determining a target antenna pattern associated with a target station group to which the at least one target client station is assigned; and 
 causing the AP to communicate with the at least one target client station using the target antenna pattern. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one directional antenna pattern comprises a first directional antenna pattern providing a first radiation coverage area and a second directional antenna pattern providing a second radiation coverage area, the first radiation coverage area being partially overlapped with the second radiation coverage area, and
 wherein assigning the plurality of candidate client stations further comprises: 
 in accordance with a determination that at least one of the plurality of candidate client stations is located within an overlapped area of the first and the second radiation coverage areas, assigning the at least one candidate client station to both station groups associated with the first directional antenna pattern and the second directional antenna pattern. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first directional antenna pattern has peak gains at zero degree and 180 degrees in an azimuthal plane of the AP, and the second directional antenna pattern has peak gains at 90 degrees and 270 degrees in the azimuthal plane of the AP. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of candidate client stations are assigned to two or more of the plurality of station groups, the method further comprising:
 determining a target station group from the two or more station groups based on two or more respective numbers of stations within the two or more station groups; and 
 selecting at least one target client station assigned to the target station group. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining the target station group comprises:
 comparing the two or more respective numbers of stations within the two or more station groups with a threshold number; and 
 selecting a station group of the two or more station groups having the number of stations exceeding the threshold number, as the target client station. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the AP is configured to perform beamforming-based communication or multi-user (MU) multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) communication with the at least one target client station, and wherein causing the AP to communicate with the at least one target client station comprises:
 determining whether a successful null data packet (NDP) sounding process for the at least one target client station is performed using the target antenna pattern; 
 in accordance with a determination that the successful NDP sounding process is performed using the target antenna pattern, causing the AP to communicate data with the at least one target client station using the target antenna pattern; and 
 in accordance with a determination that no successful NDP sounding process is performed with any of the at least one target client station using the target antenna pattern, causing the AP to initiate a further NDP sound process with the at least one target client station using the target antenna pattern. 
 
     
     
       7. An access point (AP) comprising:
 a control system; and 
 an antenna assembly operable to generate a plurality of antenna patterns with different radiation coverage areas; 
 wherein the control system is configured to:
 assign a plurality of candidate client stations to at least one of a plurality of predetermined station groups based on respective locations of the plurality of candidate client stations, the plurality of predetermined station groups being associated with a plurality of antenna patterns of the AP, and the plurality of antenna patterns providing respective radiation coverage areas, wherein the plurality of antenna patterns comprise an omnidirectional antenna pattern and at least one directional antenna pattern; 
 
 wherein the control system is configured to assign the plurality of candidate client stations by:
 assigning the plurality of candidate client stations to a first station group of the plurality of station groups associated with the omnidirectional antenna pattern; 
 in accordance with a determination that at least one of the plurality of candidate client stations is located within a radiation coverage area provided by one of the at least one directional antenna pattern, assigning the at least one candidate client station to a second station group associated with the directional antenna pattern; 
 in accordance with a determination that at least one target client station is selected from the plurality of candidate client stations for communication, determining a target antenna pattern associated with a target station group to which the at least one target client station is assigned; and 
 control the antenna assembly to generate the target antenna pattern for communication with the at least one target client station. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The AP of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one directional antenna pattern comprises a first directional antenna pattern providing a first radiation coverage area and a second directional antenna pattern providing a second radiation coverage area, the first radiation coverage area being partially overlapped with the second radiation coverage area, and
 wherein the control system is configured to assign the plurality of candidate client stations by: 
 in accordance with a determination that at least one of the plurality of candidate client stations is located within an overlapped area of the first and the second radiation coverage areas, assigning the at least one candidate client station to both station groups associated with the first directional antenna pattern and the second directional antenna pattern. 
 
     
     
       9. The AP of  claim 8 , wherein the first directional antenna pattern has peak gains at zero degree and 180 degrees in an azimuthal plane of the AP, and the second directional antenna pattern has peak gains at 90 degrees and 270 degrees in the azimuthal plane of the AP. 
     
     
       10. The AP of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of candidate client stations are assigned to two or more of the plurality of predetermined station groups, the control system being further configured to:
 determining a target station group from the two or more station groups based on two or more respective numbers of stations within the two or more station groups; and 
 selecting at least one target client station assigned to the target station group. 
 
     
     
       11. The AP of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is configured to determine the target station group by:
 comparing the two or more respective numbers of stations within the two or more station groups with a threshold number; and 
 selecting a station group of the two or more station groups having the number of stations exceeding the threshold number, as the target client station. 
 
     
     
       12. The AP of  claim 7 , wherein the AP is configured to perform beamforming-based communication or multi-user (MU) multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) communication with the at least one target client station, and wherein the control system is configured to control the antenna assembly by:
 determining whether a successful null data packet (NDP) sounding process for the at least one target client station is performed using the target antenna pattern; 
 in accordance with a determination that the successful NDP sounding process is performed using the target antenna pattern, controlling the antenna assembly to communicate data with the at least one target client station using the target antenna pattern; and 
 in accordance with a determination that no successful NDP sounding process is performed with any of the at least one target client station using the target antenna pattern, controlling the antenna assembly to initiate a further NDP sound process with the at least one target client station using the target antenna pattern. 
 
     
     
       13. The AP of  claim 7 , wherein the antenna assembly comprises at least one antenna element and a plurality of reflectors, and wherein the control system is configured to:
 in accordance with a determination that the target antenna pattern is the omnidirectional antenna pattern, cause the plurality of reflectors to be disabled; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the target antenna pattern is a directional antenna pattern of the at least one directional antenna pattern, cause at least one of the plurality of reflectors to be disabled and the other ones of the plurality of reflectors to be enabled according to the directional antenna pattern. 
 
     
     
       14. An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions to cause the at least one processor to implement acts comprising:
 determining respective locations of a plurality of candidate client stations to be communicated with an access point (AP); 
 assigning the plurality of candidate client stations to a plurality of predetermined station groups based on the determined respective locations, the plurality of predetermined station groups being associated with a plurality of antenna patterns of the AP, and the plurality of antenna patterns providing respective radiation coverage areas, wherein the plurality of antenna patterns comprise an omnidirectional antenna pattern and at least one directional antenna pattern; 
 
 wherein assigning the plurality of candidate client stations comprises:
 assigning the plurality of candidate client stations to a first station group of the plurality of station groups associated with the omnidirectional antenna pattern; and 
 in accordance with a determination that at least one of the plurality of candidate client stations is located within a radiation coverage area provided by one of the at least one directional antenna pattern, assigning the at least one candidate client station to a second station group associated with the directional antenna pattern; 
 in accordance with a determination that at least one target client station is selected from the plurality of candidate client stations for communication, determining a target antenna pattern associated with a target station group to which the at least one target client station is assigned; and 
 causing the AP to communicate with the at least one target client station using the determined target antenna pattern.